RE: Frankfurt: Mercedes SLS Roadster

RE: Frankfurt: Mercedes SLS Roadster

Tuesday 13th September 2011

Frankfurt: Mercedes SLS Roadster

Roofless AMG supercarness unveiled in Germany



Taking the roof off a car whose chief characteristic is 'gullwing doors' may be a risky venture, however Mercedes has pulled it off with the SLS Roadster. Literally.

The only other major change made to the SLS is much improved headroom, when weather permits. The dry-sumped, handbuilt 6.3-litre V8 is carried over, pumping out the same 571hp and 479lb ft.

The roof is a lightweight fabric number, which can be raised or lowered at speeds up to 31mph in just eleven seconds - that's three seconds faster than the Ferrari 458 Spider also debuting here at Frankfurt. And about the only meaningful comparison we can make from the show floor.

Other notable new features include, for the first time on the SLS, the option of three-way Ride Control adjustable dampers, controlled by the familiar AMG Drive Unit. The Ride Control dampers will also be available as an extra on the SLS coupe but if you prefer a more hardcore vibe the gullwing still offers the option of an AMG Performance Suspension fixed-rate set-up with dampers 30 per cent firmer and springs 10 per cent stiffer than standard.


AMG Performance Media also debuts on the SLS Roadster. It's a motorsport inspired multimedia system that offers various telemetric displays (lateral and linear acceleration, lap times, etc) and high-speed web access. In all senses of the word, we imagine.

Here at PH we're of course proud to drive top down no matter how cold it is, so SLS Roadster customers might want to check the optional neck warming 'Airscarf' box too.



Author
Discussion

soad

Original Poster:

32,913 posts

177 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
Must sound terrific with the roof down!

y2blade

56,127 posts

216 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
wibble sperm

pSyCoSiS

3,601 posts

206 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
Rather have the Gullwing version - that's what this car is meant to be about!

RXED

360 posts

191 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
pSyCoSiS said:
Rather have the Gullwing version - that's what this car is meant to be about!
Totally agree, but I wouldn't turn this down!

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

247 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
Excellent! An SLS without the silly gimicky doors - should sell like hot cakes to people who might otherwise get landed with a ghastly Bentley convertible!

Zwoelf

25,867 posts

207 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
I like it very much, now the proportions resemble a Z8 even more.

adeelster

90 posts

191 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
Love it, love it, love it. But might love the 458 Spider more. Interesting how Chris Harris reckons that although it doesn't win group tests that in the real world he would rather have an SLS than any other of the current crop of supercars...

AWG

855 posts

157 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
BIG fan!

Carnnoisseur

531 posts

155 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
pSyCoSiS said:
Rather have the Gullwing version - that's what this car is meant to be about!
+1

loudlashadjuster

5,132 posts

185 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
Better looking than the hardtop?

Our survey says...ba-ting!

dasherdiablo1

3,532 posts

222 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
Zwoelf said:
I like it very much, now the proportions resemble a Z8 even more.
I thought that too! Much nicer than the Bimmer though.

Beautiful car that I think is destined to become a classic; looks modern yet classical. I like it alot!

Beefmeister

16,482 posts

231 months

Wednesday 14th September 2011
quotequote all
As much as I love the SLS, I'd really worry about parking the Roadster and being able to get out.

The Gullwing coupe is a very very wide car, as in it only leaves a few inches either side in a normal car parking space. The coupe gets away with that because the gullwing doors only sweep outwards by a small amount.

I'd imagine in this, it'd be very difficult to open the door fully.

And now i fully expect the 'funny' people of PH to tell me that only poor people park in normal spaces etc...

fwaggie

1,644 posts

201 months

Wednesday 14th September 2011
quotequote all
Now this MB I like, a lot.

Better than the coupe version.

A 9 from me.

BuzzLightyear

1,426 posts

183 months

Wednesday 14th September 2011
quotequote all
scratchchin
Hmm! Tough one to call.

I prefer convertibles as a rule but the gullwing doors on the coupe are its USP.

Overall, I think I'd still want one of these over an SL but they are a bit too similar.

andyman_2006

726 posts

191 months

Wednesday 14th September 2011
quotequote all
superb looking car...

spot the oversight by the detailer.....

Suprised Merc are showing this without any tyre/shine dressing...sack the detailer!


DayTrader

776 posts

168 months

Wednesday 14th September 2011
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
Excellent! An SLS without the silly gimicky doors - should sell like hot cakes to people who might otherwise get landed with a ghastly Bentley convertible!
"Silly gull wing doors"

Some one show him the way out please...

pistonheed

38 posts

161 months

Wednesday 14th September 2011
quotequote all
Lets see if Mercedes cock it up like they have with the Gullwing and let too many come into the UK to sit on the shelf and kill their values with heavy discounting.

Top tip Mr Wilfried Steffen, low numbers = better residuals = happy customers = repeat business = high profits and higher customer satisfaction.

NotKenBlock

6,037 posts

185 months

Wednesday 14th September 2011
quotequote all
Dont care what it looks like.. its all about that engine

Tallbut Buxomly

12,254 posts

217 months

Wednesday 14th September 2011
quotequote all
Unsurprisingly chopping the roof off hasn't made it look any less hideous.

Nick Beef

389 posts

257 months

Wednesday 14th September 2011
quotequote all
More pleasing to the eye than the gullwing but takes away the show piece doors to for some is the whole point of this car!
Maybe this should of been the new SL..!